Josh Pate Voices Concerns About Major College Football QB

The Oklahoma Sooners football bounced back in 2025, finishing 10-3 after a 6-7 debut season in the SEC in 2024. They returned to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019. That turnaround signaled progress, but it also raised new expectations heading into 2026.

A significant factor in the team’s success was quarterback John Mateer, despite an inconsistent season. The Washington State transfer passed for 1,215 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions through the first four games, while also rushing for 190 yards and five touchdowns. During that stretch, he helped lead Oklahoma to a 4-0 start and quickly entered the early Heisman Trophy conversation.

He broke his throwing thumb during the fourth game against Missouri. The injury marked a turning point in his season.

After missing one game, Mateer returned but was unable to replicate his early-season form. Over the final eight games, he passed for 1,670 yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions, while adding 241 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The contrast between his fast start and uneven finish became one of the defining storylines of Oklahoma’s season.

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer (10) celebrates after running for a touchdown. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mateer showed flashes of his early form against the Alabama Crimson Tide football in the College Football Playoff. He completed 63.4% of his passes for 307 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception, while also adding a rushing score. That performance served as a reminder of his ceiling when operating at a high level.

Josh Pate was asked on his show, "Josh Pate's College Football Show," about his confidence level in various SEC quarterbacks, including Mateer. He noted that it's difficult to determine the reasons behind Mateer's struggles at the end of the season. Some believe these difficulties were due to an injury, while others argue it was a result of teams figuring him out.

"I would say my confidence level is medium with him," Pate said. "I don't know if you could fully determine which is which. Can we fully know the truth with him? Also, I feel there is a lot of variance down to down when you just have the release that he has. I'm not knocking it. I knew the release that he had last year when I bet him to win the Heisman."

Mateer’s sidearm release became a focal point late in the season, with some pointing to it as a reason for inconsistency. However, that mechanical issue didn’t suddenly appear; it simply became more noticeable as the season progressed. Mateer acknowledged during the offseason that he is working to adjust his throwing motion.

“My thumb’s getting a little healthier so I can grip the ball better,” Mateer said. “Getting back to some more over-the-top stuff, less sidearm.”

He emphasized that while the injury was not an excuse, it did force adjustments to his mechanics. That detail matters when evaluating his performance, because it suggests his late-season struggles may not be entirely permanent.

If Mateer returns to a more consistent release point, his accuracy should improve, and with it, Oklahoma’s ceiling as a contender. The talent and production are already there. The question is whether he can put it together over the course of a full season.

Pate may label his confidence as “medium,” but if Mateer cleans up the mechanical inconsistencies, that evaluation could change quickly. And if it does, Oklahoma could once again find itself in the middle of the national title conversation.